Just call me Harry: Duke of Sussex drops title at Edinburgh eco-tourism summit in last round of royal duties
As part of his last round of royal engagements, Harry left Canada to make an appearance on Wednesday at an eco-tourism summit in Edinburgh, where he requested the hosts to forego addressing him by his royal title.
Journalist Ayesha Hazarika, one of the hosts at the event, made it clear even before the Duke of Sussex took the stage that there would be no time for royal titles during the event, at the request of Harry. “He has made it clear we are all just to call him ‘Harry’," she said, Express reported.
His request was further reiterated by the chair of local tourism agency VisitScotland, Lord Thurso. "I was about to call him Your Royal Highness, but I’ll just introduce Harry!" he said.
The event was the first time that Prince Diana's youngest son was seen in the UK ever since he left his homeland to join his wife, Meghan Markle, and son, Archie, in Canada, post-Megxit. For the event, he donned a grey jacket, white shirt, and khaki trousers, keeping his look casual.
The event was being hosted by Travalyst, Visit Scotland and the EICC (Edinburgh International Conference Centre). Before he met with 100 representatives of the tourism and travel sectors. He was spotted smiling as he was greeting partners and guests at the working summit.
“I want to help create a platform where all of us concerned about these issues can work together, where competitors can unite and incentivize a positive systemic change. There’s a reason why this hasn’t been tried before, but with our partners we have the best shot," Harry said after he took the stage and introduced Travalyst.
Minutes before the summit started, Meghan and Harry's official Instagram account Sussex Royal published a new post, which talked about the work that Travalyst hoped to do.
“Today, The Duke of Sussex will be in Scotland - one of the world’s fastest-growing tourist destinations - to hear what they’re doing to put sustainability at the forefront of holidays that protect the environment and support local communities," the first part of the post read. "The number of tourists globally is rapidly rising, and based on an increasing desire from travelers, The Duke’s international partnership Travalyst is working to ensure the industry can better support communities that face increasing challenges of overcrowding, pollution, and the climate emergency."
However many eagle-eyed readers spotted a typo in the later part of the message.
“By harnessing the power of travel, which accounts for 1 in 10 jobs globally, generating newrly (sic) $9 trillion annually, and is at the heart of connecting people and culture, tourism can lead the way in supporting communities and protecting the environment," the message added.
The post has since been corrected.